It wasn’t even that late in the day. The sun was out and there was a cool breeze. It would have been the perfect day to anyone else, but people like Eric don’t exactly seek out natural highs. His vision was blurred, and his limbs felt like rubber. With each step he took, he felt as though he was sinking deeper into the ground.
This wasn’t an unusual occurrence in Eric’s life; in fact, a day of sobriety was much more rare. Eric had been drinking and doing drugs since he was fourteen, and now, four years later, his usage had become a way of life. It started with a couple of beers, but as the cliché goes, he continued to search for the next high until his whole life became about drugs and alcohol. He had been able to make it to eighteen without any accidents, even though there had been opportunity for many, and this made him take his luck for granted.
As he neared an intersection, he started to have a bad trip – probably due to the combination of weed, 'shrooms, and alcohol in his system. His legs felt like they were stuck in quicksand. He began crossing a street, slowly and with diligence, as though he were trying to free his legs from the thick substance. As soon as he “broke free,” he began to sprint across the street in an attempt to not get stuck again, and without any time to think, he felt his body being dragged underneath a black SUV – only this time, it wasn't just a bad trip. Despite his inebriation, he was able to feel his skin grind along the pavement, and continue to do so for another few feet, until he passed out to the sound of his own screams.
Eric awoke in a hospital bed, sore and unable to move. He had only broken his wrist and a couple of ribs, but it was a miracle that he was still alive; the impact of the crash should have caused much more damage. After coming to his senses he was able to hear what had happened in its entirety, and discovered the irony of it all was that the driver who hit him was also drunk. After hearing the story, Eric fell back into a deep sleep, and dreamed about what his life had been for the last four years, and what it could be from that point forward.
This wasn’t an unusual occurrence in Eric’s life; in fact, a day of sobriety was much more rare. Eric had been drinking and doing drugs since he was fourteen, and now, four years later, his usage had become a way of life. It started with a couple of beers, but as the cliché goes, he continued to search for the next high until his whole life became about drugs and alcohol. He had been able to make it to eighteen without any accidents, even though there had been opportunity for many, and this made him take his luck for granted.
As he neared an intersection, he started to have a bad trip – probably due to the combination of weed, 'shrooms, and alcohol in his system. His legs felt like they were stuck in quicksand. He began crossing a street, slowly and with diligence, as though he were trying to free his legs from the thick substance. As soon as he “broke free,” he began to sprint across the street in an attempt to not get stuck again, and without any time to think, he felt his body being dragged underneath a black SUV – only this time, it wasn't just a bad trip. Despite his inebriation, he was able to feel his skin grind along the pavement, and continue to do so for another few feet, until he passed out to the sound of his own screams.
Eric awoke in a hospital bed, sore and unable to move. He had only broken his wrist and a couple of ribs, but it was a miracle that he was still alive; the impact of the crash should have caused much more damage. After coming to his senses he was able to hear what had happened in its entirety, and discovered the irony of it all was that the driver who hit him was also drunk. After hearing the story, Eric fell back into a deep sleep, and dreamed about what his life had been for the last four years, and what it could be from that point forward.